Pocklington and Market Weighton police column - crime advice

Published:10:00Thursday 15 June 2017

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What can you do to protect your bike? Here are a few tips from our local police officers.

If you haven’t done so already register your bicycle’s frame number along with any pictures and other details you have on www.immobilise.com. (Registration on Immobilise only takes a few minutes and it’s free).

All you need is your bike’s make, model, identifying number code(s) and a few photographs). If your bike is stolen or lost this free online register will inform all UK police and registered second hand dealers that your bike is missing and should it be offered for sale to a registered dealer or come into contact with any police force then a check of the system could reunite you with your stolen or lost bike.

Invest in a quality lock, eg a D lock, to help reduce the risk of your bike being stolen. Consider using two different types at the same time, as thieves rarely carry tools to break two different lock types.

Lock your bike every time you leave it – it only takes seconds to steal!

Keep the gap between the bike and the lock small, so inserting tools is made harder and where ever possible keep the locking barrel facing the ground too as this makes access more difficult.

Look at where you are storing your bike and make sure that your shed or garage is secured with a good quality lock.

Many shed windows are never used, if this is the case – why not screw them shut. Fitting mesh or steel bars across the window from the inside allows light to enter but means the thief has to go to a lot of trouble to remove them.

Replace broken glass with laminated glass. Consider putting an alarm on the shed too – this could be a battery alarm or look at having the shed connected to the house alarm if you already have one.

Consider buying a cycle anchor that can be bolted to the wall or floor of your shed which your cycle can then be fastened to or if you have several cycles lock them altogether.

If you are having to leave your bike out on the street, where possible leave it in a well lit area and lock both the frame and wheels to the bike stand.